X Out

Thanks to Influenster's VoxBox Program, I received a full size product of the X Out Wash-In Treatment to test out.

Here is a thorough explanation of the brand and product from their site:

" The unique, one-step X Out™ Wash-In Treatment is formulated to help kill the bacteria that causes breakouts, help banish existing pimples and help leave the skin feeling smooth and looking healthy.

X Out™ works to lift away the dirt and grime that can clog pores. The Wash-In Treatment also leaves behind powerful medicine to help keep pores clean. Learn more and purchase at XOut.com. X Out is sold as a 30-day supply and comes with a bonus Shine Control product to help you fight oil all day for $19.95 "

I tried out this product once on my face, and so far, the results are positive. My skin felt a bit clearer after using it and my face didn't feel as clogged up as before. I also really like how this product can be used 3 different ways: as a wash, as a mask, and as a spot treatment. Imagine, a miracle product that has a 3 in 1 capacity!

This definitely meets my stamp of approval. 4/5

Montagne Jeunesse

Last week, I received my Holiday VoxBox from Influenster, a cool site where you can be the first to try out new products and spread the word. Included in my box was a Kelp & Seaweed Muc Pac from Montagne Jeunesse.

These masques come in various flavors, such as:

•Cucumber Peel Off
•Passion Peel Off
•Dead Sea Mud
•Fruit Smoothie
•Strawberry Souffle
•Chocolate Mud

Even better, they are free of parabens, vegetarian approved and never tested on animals!

Addicted to Kawaii Pt 2

I have a serious addiction to cell phone straps. Even though I barely even use my cell phone, I can't stop buying them!

I didn't even have any room to put all of it, so I came up with a cool idea: display it on a hanger!



hehe, don't mind the vkei poster. :)

Some close ups:







I also put my favorite straps on my cell phone:



As of now, I have a total of 49 straps.
My favorite is the LV bag and fruit parfait on my cell phone!

The problem is that Japanese cell phone straps are really expensive (the cheapest ones are $3-5), but the quality of most of them are really good.
If an of you are interested, you should really check out Strapya. It's my favorite place to shop at!

Addicted to Kawaii Pt 1

As a way of connecting to my readers more, I thought that it would be a cool idea to blog about kawaii things I love to collect. As of now, I'm planning on doing 3 posts. :)

Behold,

My Notepad Collection



I'm not sure when I started collecting them, but once I had one, I couldn't stop buying them! They're just so cute! The only problem is that I can't find any situations when I'm going to use them...

Here are some closeups:






That's all I have for now, but I'm definitely not going to stop. It's to hard to resist!

Which one is your favorite?

Happy Chinese New Year! + Haul

I know I'm a bit late (well hey, it's 15 days of celebration!), but Happy Chinese New Year! May your new year be filled with joy and luck!

Hehe, I just couldn't resist posting a picture of this rabbit, it's so cute!

Here is a big haul a got last week on Austin St. (love that place, everything is so cheap!)



What I got:

Brown Fur Vest from Strawberry - $9.99
Existentialism Book from B&N (had a $2 Red Dot Sale!) - $2
Tarina Tarantino Starchild - $10
I initially tested out the Nebula and wanted it SOOO badly! Sadly, there were no more (I was so desperate that I even tried asking to buy the tester, without success) I got Starchild instead.
Hello Kitty Mini EDP - Free from 100 points. Get it before this deal ends!
Philosophy Birthday Cake Shower Gel - Free using my mom's bday (lol, I'm naughty. xD)
The Body Shop Spiced Vanilla Shower Gel - $3 from after Christmas Sale
Cameo Ring - $1.99
I found a shop that was selling a bunch of jewelry for only $1.99, it's surprisingly even cheaper than Flushing!
Big Flower Hair Comb - $1.99
I found ANOTHER shop with a bunch of stuff for $1.99. It's a great deal, because in Flushing, it would probably be jacked up to $10!

Total Spent = $29

I love going bargain hunting! :D

Here are some close ups of the ring and comb, simply gorgeous!

My New Favorite Lipgloss

is officially Lorac Multiplex in 3D!


The picture doesn't do this any justice.
Have you ever seen nail polish holos? This lipgloss is sort of like that - it glitters like crazy in the light!

I received a mini tub of it in a MUA swap, but I'm so impressed that I think I'll get the full size. It's definitely worth forking $22!

What's your favorite lipgloss?

Back to the Earth Swatches *Pic Spam*

The one thing I love most is being able to look pretty without wasting hundreds of dollars on mediocre products.

Besides drugstore products, another good option would be to try out handmade makeup from Etsy. Not only are the products safer, but they're also a lot cheaper!

So long story short, I did a MUA swap with the owner of an Etsy shop called Back to the Earth (linked for those interested) All of their makeup is vegan, natural and organic.

I got the 5pc deal, where it only costs $12 for 5 eyeshadows of your choice (I got them free though, since it was a swap) and I have to say, I was really impressed with the pigmentation!

Here's what I got:


Illuminated
This is probably my favorite of the bunch. It's a bit hard to tell, but this is a sort of cream colored shadow in disguise. When you shine it in the light, it turns into a really amazing sheer gold.


Diamonds and Shamrocks
This was a bit darker than I expected (I was hoping for something like pastel green),
but still a really pretty shade nevertheless. Honestly, I can never say anything bad about glittery eyeshadow, they're just so pretty!


Northern Lights
Another one of my favorites, this is a really beautiful and intense shade of purple. The sparkles are really amazing, it really does look like the stars!


Starry Night
I was really disappointed that it was more black than purple, but if you forget about that, the black in itself is really amazing! When applied wet, it's a really intense purple/black with hints of purple glitter. Have you ever seen the ocean get all sparkly when it hits the sun? Sort of like that.


Water Elemental
Although it's a really intense color, this is probably my least favorite out of the five. I just didn't see the wow factor from it. It's just my POV though...

Anyways, here are the swatches I promised you:





Overall, I give this shop an A+ :)

Question: What's your favorite etsy makeup shop? If you've never bought from one, are you planning on doing so?

Victoria's Secret Haul + Swatches

So as you all know, Victoria's Secret does this huge semi-annual sale twice a year. Although I was really disappointed at the clothing markdowns (even plain t-shirts were $10!), I loved all cheap beauty products! Most of them were 75% off and some were 50% off. Since I only had $10 in my pocket, I had to really pick my favorites.

Here's what a got:



VS Radiant Face Trio -$4 (Orig. $16)
Wow, this is probably one of the cutest packaging I've ever seen! I checked online, and a lot of people said that it looked similar to the YSL version. I love both of them!



VS Brilliant Shimmer Eyeshadow in Nightdust - $2.50 (Orig. $10)
What really shocked me was that part of their more mature makeup line was also on sale! I'm not sure if it was by accident (there were no sale signs), but I'm still happy about it!



VS Brilliant Shimmer Eyeshadow in Skydust - $2.50 (Orig. $10)
Another eyeshadow I decided to pick up. Yes, it was an impulse buy. I actually have way too much eyeshadow for a 14 year old, but it looked so much like the mac packaging, that I couldn't resist!

Here are the swatches (dry and wet for eyeshadows):



Question: What items did you score from the Semi-Annual Sale:

- - -
P.S. Did you notice that I changed my heading? What do you think about it? I'm thinking about changing my blog layout though, because it doesn't really match.

Surprise Second Giveaway Winner!

Well it turns out that Anna only wanted the Victoria's Secret Lotion and ELF Bronzing Blush, so I decided to pick out another winner for the rest of the goodies (plus a few extras)!



And the winner is... Ezzy!


Congrats!
Rules are the same as before, reply to my email within a week, or else there will be a new winner.

Don't you just love surprises? ;D

Giveaway Winner

And the winner is... Anna!


Congrats! Please reply to my email within one week or else another winner will be selected.

Overall, I think this giveaway was a success!
Thank you everybody for participating! To those who didn't win this time, look forward to another one in the near future!

Grace~

Paul and Joe Nail Polish

First of all, I would like to say that I've finally reached 50+ followers! Thank you so much everybody! When I first created this blog, I was worried that no one come here, but I'm so glad that I continued to blog! Each and every new follower I get, always gives me more motivation to blog. Therefore, THANK YOU! <3

Now on to the highlight of the post:



A while ago, I won a $25 Apothica Gift Card from Liza Mae and I finally received my shipment yesterday! (also ordered some perfume, but they were shipped separately)

Recently, I've been obsessing over Paul and Joe's adorable makeup, so I had to try out their stuff! I bought the (Pink) Classical Nail Polish from the Holiday 2010 Symphony Collection and I am totally in love with it!

Wow, just look at that gorgeous packaging!
I think Paul and Joe's makeup is definitely worth it. Especially since they're made in Japan. ;P

Here's a close up:



It's a bit hard to tell, but there are tiny hints of gold shimmer mixed into the pink. A really lovely shade.

The bottom line is, you have to try out Paul and Joe for yourself! They definitely have my approval. :)

- - -
If you haven't done so yet, make sure to enter my New Years Giveaway! Hurry, there are only 3 days left to enter! Just click on my giveaway picture at the top of my sidebar.

Grace~

Winter Wonderland?

I love taking pretty pictures in the snow, but WOW! That must've been the biggest snow storm I have ever encountered! My family and I were driving back from a party and we got stuck in the middle of the road! (Thank goodness no one dared to drive in this weather)

We just had to walk one more block back to the house, but that was the hardest block I have ever had to walk in my life! The snow was about 2 feet high, plus the crazy wind, plus the freezing weather, and I think you get the picture. ;)

Don't you ever get that rush of adrenaline whenever you feel like you're about to die?

Oh, and I know I'm too late for this but...

Merry (belated) Christmas!!!

And while you're warming up near the fireplace and drinking hot chocolate, be sure to enter my New Years Giveaway! Just click in the picture at the top of my sidebar. :)

Jewels in the Sea - NOTD

Since it's nearing Christmas time, I thought I'd show you another NOTD! I've been experimenting with Konad lately, and I'm pretty satisfied with my results. :)

For the NOTD, I used 2 new polishes I got: the Sephora OPI Mermaid to Order (I fell in love when I saw in stores!) and Zoya Jo from a swap.

After using the Konad stamps, I just finished it off with a little nail sticker and revlon top coat.

Here's a close up:

Please share me your thoughts!

Also...

Jill Stuart Giveaway @ Makeup and Life!


Makeup and Life is giving away a few Jill Stuart items to celebrate the Christmas and New Year. Thank you so much! ^_^

Prize:
Jill Stuart Blush Blossom - 03 Amaryllis or 04 Seductive Rose (winner chooses one color of their own choice)
Jill Stuart eyelash curler - to enhance and curl eye lashes with extra refill pad.

Ends December 28th

Also, be sure to check out my New Years Giveaway! Just scroll up and click on my giveaway picture.

~*~*~ My New Years Giveaway! ~*~*~ CLOSED!

Today, I'm having my first giveaway to celebrate the upcoming new year!
Thank you so much to all my readers who continue to support me, this blog couldn't have existed without you guys!

My New Years Resolution: I would like to work harder in school and make and effort to blog more. :)

Now back to the juicy part...

What you can win:

~Nicola Magazine May 2009 Issue

~Victoria's Secret Scented Body Lotion

~ELF Bronzing Brush

~ELF Plumping Lip Glaze in Plum Pout

~Wet N Wild Shine in Brazed (swatched once)

How to enter:
1. Be a public follower (new or old is fine) and leave a comment about anything you want to tell me. Your resolutions, your secrets, suggestions to improve my blog, anything!

Be sure to leave an email so that I can contact the winner!
(1 entry)

Extra Entries:
2. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link (1 entry)
3. Add my giveaway to your sidebar and leave me your blog link (1 entry)
4. Tweet about the giveaway and leave me the link (1 entry)
5. Add me to your blogroll and leave me your blog link (1 entry)

Feel free to post your extra entries separately or all in one post!

The deadline is Friday, January 7 (11:59PM est time). I will post the winner on the blog and email them. The winner has a week to reply to my email or else I will have to redraw.

Please be honest with your entries so that this giveaway can be fun for all of us!

Look What I Got!

Here's me with the two cd's (hehe, I'm in pj's!)
You might not know this, but I actually have a love for Visual Kei, which is a style of Japanese music. I love it so much that pretty much 95% of the songs in my mp3 are specifically visual kei. I don't know what it is, but the music, fashion style, and just the connection between the audience and the bands, everything about vkei just draws me in. Yep, I've got a ton of posters for various bands on my wall!

That's why when I won these two Alice Nine CD's from Kawaii Kawaii Sugoi Blog, I was happy beyond words. Although I don't really listen to that band much anymore(became mainstream), I still stay faithful to them because Alice Nine was the first that really got me hooked to Visual Kei. You could say that it changed my whole perspective on life.


That was just a little something I wanted to share to you guys, since I feel really lonely being the only one in my school interested in vkei. Just trying to spread the love. :)

Anyways, here's what else I got:



Got these in 3 Separate swaps:
-Kose Esprique Precious Liquid Eyecolor Stylish in BL900 (omg, gorgeous! I have to show you sometime!)
-NARS Orgasm Illuminator Sample (first NARS product!)

-benefit BADgal lash Mini Mascara
-Lancome Le Secret Sample Eye Powder (holy crap, best color EVER!!! Scroll down for swatch)

-MAC Pink Opal Sample
-MAC Quick Frost Sample
-MAC Pink Pigment Sample (IDK the name)
I love MAC, but I can never afford it! Luckily, pigment samples are a lot cheaper and you get to experiment with more colors. :)



Also, I stopped by Chinatown last week and discovered a tiny store that sold phone straps for insanely cheap. I got 4 for $5, what a steal! If you didn't know already, I have an obsession with kawaii phone straps and my collection is always expanding!


As promised, here's Lancome Le Secret (layered over stila smudge pot violet):


and what is looks like in light:


AMAZING RIGHT? It's sort of like a mermaid kind of color, you get what I mean?
Wow, I think I might even buy the full product in the future!

I haven't experimented this with other colors yet, but I'm looking forward to it. xD

Have a great weekend everybody! It's difficult to blog when I also have 3 tests next week, homework, and fencing practice 3 times a week, but I'm trying!

Grace~

Major Konad Fail

Wow, probably one of the worst nails I've ever done. Period.

Originally, I was planning to wish everybody a Happy Thanksgiving with a new NOTD, but I did not see this "design" coming. Since I felt like trying to master Konad stamping, I didn't think it would be so bad. Turns out I was wrong.

After hours of waiting for my nails to dry, frustrating smudges, and uneven result, I gave up trying. I basically just slashed on some white nail polish and coated with sally hansen hidden treasure to try to cover up my mistakes.

Worst 5 hours of my life.



Actually, now that I look at it, it's not too bad. The flakies from Hidden Treasure kind of saved it, I guess. :)

Oh, and before I forget:



Everybody have a great last 7 hours of Thanksgiving!
I'll be going to a party really soon!

Thanks to all my amazing readers! :)

PS. Despite all the craze with Black Friday, I'm planning on going to Woodbury Outlet that day! I'm probably out of my mind though, because I've heard cases on the internet where they had to wait 2 hours just to get out of the parking lot!